Progressive Network

A message from our friends in the Green Party

The Green Party of the United States congratulates the winners and thanks all Greens who ran for public office in 2017 as well as the thousands of campaign volunteers who worked so hard to support our candidates! We appreciate our dedicated volunteers that helped more Greens change their communities by holding elected office.

With this momentum as 2017 ends, we’ve set the groundwork for running more candidates than ever in 2018! We hope you’ll join us by volunteering your time to either run for office yourself or work on a Green campaign. Click here to volunteer.

At least 128 Green candidates were on the ballot on Nov. 7, of whom at least 22 were elected. In all 2017 elections (some elections were held earlier this year), Greens won 44 races in communities across the country.

In California, all four Green candidates were elected: Angelia Hillman, board of the Klamath Trinity Joint Unified School District; Jeffrey Dean Schwartz, board of the Arcata School District; Rama Zarcufsky, board of the Maple Creek School District; Scott Kender, board of the Redway Community Services District.

In Colorado, Merrily Mazzawas reelected to the Lafayette City Council on a strong platform opposing fracking and supporting community rights, sustaining powerful attacks from the Democratic Party. Bryan Williams was elected to the Ouray School Board after helping to found his local Green Party only months earlier! Julie Bañuelos received 24.26% of the vote, strongest showing ever in a Denver, citywide race in the state party’s history.

Connecticut, 8 Green candidates were elected, including Jean de Smet for Mayor of Windham, Mirna Martinez for New London Board of Education, and Dagmar Noll for Town Council in Willimantic. In Waterford, Green candidates won 5 races. The results in Waterford set a record for the largest contingency of Greens to serve on a legislative assembly in New England.

Massachusetts, Laurance Kimbrough was elected to the Cambridge School Committee.

In Minnesota, Cam Gordon was reelected to a fourth term on the Minneapolis City Council. LaTrisha Vetaw won her race for At-Large member of the Minneapolis Park Board, replacing Annie Young, the Green Party’s longest serving elected official in the country.

New York, two Green candidates came within winning distance: Jabari Brisport drew 29% in his race for New York City Council (District 35 in Brooklyn). In Glens Falls, Robin Barkenhagen received 35% of the vote for Councilor-At-Large.

Ohio, Devin Branch drew 33.5% in his race for Mayor of East Cleveland.

In Pennsylvania, Dave Ochmanowicz and Stuart Chen-Hayes won their elections to School Board and Judge of Elections respectively in Bucks County.